Jasmine gasped, whimpering as he cornered her against the wall. The hall was empty and she didn’t have anyone she could call for help. He was breathing hard. He didn’t touch her and she was too frightened to push him away. For a long moment, he just stood close. His head tilted and he took deep breaths, obviously smelling her.
“Reid?” she whispered. He lifted his hands and placed them on either side of her on the wall, trapping her further. “Prince?”
“I smell you,” he repeated, his tone low. His cat eyes stared at her as he leaned forward. The muscles on his arms bulged with the movement, showing just how much of a warrior he really was. His strength, his nearness, even his smell frightened her.
Then he kissed her. His tongue instantly parted her lips. There was no testing this time, no light probe. Reid just went for it, kissing her hard and deep and long. His tongue thrust into her gasping mouth. His body leaned closer until his chest brushed over her nipples with its heat.
Jasmine couldn’t breathe. Her heart was beating too fast. She felt faint, sick and her body was beginning to leak. Terrified by the onslaught of emotions--more emotions than she could ever remember feeling at once--she forced her lips from his, panting and wheezing for breath.
“Stop,” Jasmine demanded, breathless. With each rise of her chest, her nipples skimmed his hard muscles. He didn’t pull back and the ache she felt where he touched her only made her body all the more sensitive. “My heart is beating too fast.”
“Good,” Reid said, giving her a cockeyed grin. “It’s about time you--”
“I need my pills,” she interrupted. His smile only made her heartbeat worse.
“I don’t think you should,” Reid said.
“I need them,” Jasmine said. She grabbed her chest, gasping. Reid’s smile faded into one of concern. He pulled back, reaching to touch her arm. She jerked away from him. “Don’t touch me. It’s not helping. I need my pills.”
“Jas--”
“Damn it, Reid!” Jasmine cried. Tears streamed down her face. “Don’t you see? I think I’m dying. My heart’s going to explode. I have to take them.”
Reid paled. He stiffly nodded. Without waiting to ask permission, he swept her up into his arms and ran down the hall. Jasmine closed her eyes. His touch wasn’t helping at the moment. She concentrated on not feeling. It was no use. Her body felt like it was on fire. This was it. This was the end. She just knew it.
* * * *
“You say you were married to a rich, successful doctor and yet you’re still on a one a day pill regime?” Princess Tori looked Jasmine over in disbelief, as she rubbed her very pregnant stomach.
Princess Vittoria ‘Tori’ of the Var was married to Prince Quinn, the royal ambassador. Their home was simple in design, colored with rich blues and creams. The wide tiled floor stretched before the front door, elegant and immaculately clean. Reid had deposited Jasmine on a low, wide couch that was on a slightly raised platform and before a large fireplace. Long pillows were laid out on the floor at her feet, perfect for lounging. He would’ve still been with her, but for Tori shooing him out of the home. Jasmine was glad. Something about Reid’s smell was making it harder to breathe.
Aside from the front, there were no doors in the home. Tall decorative arches in the wall led to a bedroom, a kitchen, and a large office that was being used as a laboratory for Tori. A wall of glass, so thick you couldn’t see through it, guarded the bathroom. An inlet next to the fireplace, near the kitchen, led to a large dining room. There were enough chairs in it to seat more than a dozen guests.
When Jasmine didn’t answer, Tori merely hummed in thought. She sat down on the couch, studying her. The princess looked good pregnant. Her rounded stomach only added to her curves. She wore all black. The slacks were loose around her legs and the tighter shirt clung to her belly. She had long dark hair and dark eyes.
“I’m not sure why Reid brought me here,” Jasmine said, clutching her hand to her chest. Tori had given her some medicinal tea to drink along with one of her pills. It did help some, but she still would feel better when they let her have her bottle of medicine back in her hands. Tori informed her that she only had the one pill, as Reid had given it to her to analyze. Jasmine couldn’t fathom why Reid would want her pills broken down, unless he was worried she was a drug addict. “I just needed my heart medication. I should be fine in a moment.”
Tori opened her mouth to speak, but her front door opened, stopping her words. Jasmine turned to the door, hoping it was Reid with her bag.
“Tori!” A woman with red-blonde hair that practically gleamed came into the home. Her stomach was also rounded in pregnancy and her wide blue eyes were gorgeous. She was taller than Tori, statelier in appearance, until she grinned like a naughty child and announced, “It’s here! It came--finally!”
“Ulyssa!” Tori scolded with a grin. “You scared me. I swear you’ve forgotten how to knock.”
“What? Oh, sorry. No time for that. We’re in a hurry.” The dress Ulyssa wore was loose around her waist, but was still very revealing for maternity wear. The style was like Reid’s only in dress form. Cross laces worked along the sides of the bodice, baring a subtle hint of her swollen belly.
Spinning to the door, Ulyssa turned and pulled a large cart into the entryway. A second woman pushed on the other side. This one was petite with short, choppy blonde hair. She wore pants and a tank shirt with cross laces. A blue tattoo wound around her upper arm. A streak of purple slashed through the bangs. The lock fell forward over her face, partially hiding her round violet eyes. Jasmine had never seen eyes that color before. She too was pregnant, though she looked to be a few months behind the other two. Jasmine shivered, wondering if pregnancy was in the water.
“What do you have?” Tori asked, standing. A sheet covered the cart.
Ulyssa grinned and pulled the sheet back with flourish, announcing, “Lithorian chocolate! I stole every last piece from the cargo ship. Now, we just have to hide it in your laboratory before Kirill finds out its gone. If we’re lucky, everyone will just assume it never came.”
“Again,” the petite blonde added, grinning. Suddenly, her violet eyes found Jasmine on the couch. “What do we have here? Are you her?”
Jasmine looked helplessly at Tori as Ulyssa turned to look at her as well. Tori nodded her head, saying, “Yep, this is her. Jasmine St. Claire.”
Ulyssa shook her head. She gave her a serious once over. “So, you’re the infamous Jasmine St. Claire.”
Jasmine stood, eyeing the pregnant woman. She was no longer smiling. In fact, she looked a little upset.
“And you are?” Jasmine asked, for anything better to say.
“Jasmine,” Tori said, not looking as concerned by Ulyssa’s apparent displeasure. She crossed over to the cart and picked off a piece of the giant pile of chocolate. Popping it in her mouth, she moaned and said, “This is Queen Ulyssa of the Var, wife to King Kirill and this,” she pointed at the pixie blonde, “is Princess Samantha of the Var….”
“Sam,” Samantha interrupted, as she too reached for some chocolate on the cart.
Sam, the old captain to Jarek’s crew. Jasmine looked at the woman. She didn’t look like a captain.
“…wife to Prince Falke, Commander of the Guard,” Tori finished as if she hadn’t been interrupted. Then, picking up another piece of chocolate, she said, “And this is Lithorian chocolate, the best pregnancy food in the world. We hoard it like gold and our husbands have to forgive us because we’re pregnant.”
“And because they let us have whatever we want,” Sam added. “You’d figure big, bad warriors would be you know … tougher. But, alas, no. All we have to do is sigh and pout our bottom lip and they melt until they’re putty in our hands.”
“Quite right.” Tori nodded in approval. “Though, don’t get us wrong. They are tough.”
“And not everything exactly melts.” Sam winked. Jasmine didn’t understand the jest, but said nothing.
Tori sighed, a look
of longing and pleasure on her face.
“Mm, yeah.” Sam nodded in agreement. “Very strong. Very firm and muscular and--”
“Nice to meet--” Jasmine began.
“Sam. Tori,” Ulyssa snapped. She looked at the two princesses. “Um, we’re mad at this one, remember?”
“Oh, yeah.” Sam nodded. She pushed the smile from her face. “Mad. Sorry, forgot. You know, chocolate on the brain.”
“Right.” Tori nodded in agreement. “Mad.”
Jasmine backed away. What was the Queen talking about? What did she do?
Ulyssa turned back to Jasmine. “I want to know what you’ve been doing to our Reid. Mind you, the poor man could stand to be taken down a peg or two, but certainly enough is enough. I mean, either you’re in love with him or you’re not, but to toy with the man’s emotions like this….”
Ulyssa’s voice trailed off as she shook her head.
“Especially a Var man’s emotions,” Sam added over a mouthful.
Jasmine didn’t move. What were they talking about?
“He used to smile and tell stories,” Tori added, nodding.
“Now he just sits around and looks all depressed,” Sam said. “You guys have been here for a week and he hasn’t laughed once.”
“A week?” Jasmine asked.
“You’ve been asleep,” Tori offered. She started to smile, but quickly caught the look with a guilty glance at Ulyssa. Mumbling, she said, “Still no excuse.”
“Jarek tells us you’ve been with Reid for several days on his ship and have been tormenting the poor man beyond belief--flirting with him and then denying him, sleeping with him and then not sleeping with him. Reid won’t eat, doesn’t sleep. We don’t like it,” Ulyssa said.
“It’s not like him,” Sam added.
“So, what did you do to him?” Tori asked, her voice the most pleasant of the three. “Or what did he do to deserve the punishment?”
Jasmine pressed her hand over her heart. “Nothing. I swear. Prince Jarek is mistaken. I haven’t slept with him or flirted with him or any--”
“I knew it!” Ulyssa said, suddenly smiling. She turned to the princesses. “I knew Jarek was just trying to make us feel sorry for Reid.”
Jasmine really contemplated running. She’d heard of mood swings during pregnancy, but these women had to be borderline psychopathic.
“Well, good for you!” Sam said. “It is about time someone said no to that man. I swear, he gets more--”
“Ah, Sam,” Tori broke in. She shook her head and glanced at Jasmine. “Not helping.”
Sam guiltily blushed and didn’t finish the sentence. Jasmine didn’t need her to. She already had heard about Reid’s great prowess from Jarek’s crew.
“Your highnesses, please--” Jasmine began.
“Ugh, no, don’t,” Ulyssa held up her hand. “Ulyssa, please, and don’t you dare curtsey or I’ll behead you.”
“She tells everyone the same, ignore her,” Sam said, shaking her head. “She’s just bitchy.”
“Language,” Tori scolded. Sam rolled her eyes. “Sorry, Jasmine, Reid mentioned that you were … ah … delicate….”
“And proper,” Sam added, nodding helpfully.
“We don’t mean to offend you,” Tori explained.
“I’m not,” Jasmine said, smiling tentatively. She forgot all about her heart condition. The women might be a little strange, but she found herself liking them. “You haven’t offended me.”
“Blessed Stars! That’s a relief!” Sam exclaimed. “I was all worried you were going to be stuck up. It’s hard enough for me to keep my mouth shut, but to stop swearing altogether?”
“Sorry to yell at you like that,” Ulyssa said. She grabbed a hunk of chocolate and broke it in half as she moved toward Jasmine. “Here, take this. It’s heavenly and it will make you forgive me.”
Jasmine reached for the half and nodded. She bit into the corner. The women were right. It was delicious. The smooth chocolate practically turned to cream in her mouth.
“It’s just, well, we’re very protective of our families and when one of the brothers is upset, our husbands get edgy. Reid’s been….” Ulyssa looked for help from the other two, before shrugging. “He hasn’t been Reid since he got back. He’s not once visited the harem since he’s been here.”
Ulyssa sat on the couch. Tori and Sam were right behind her. Tori sat on the chair and Sam lay on the floor. When Jasmine offered to let her have the couch, she refused.
“And believe me, Reid used to live at the harem,” Sam added. “That man has the sex drive of a true animal.”
“Sam!” Tori scolded, only to add under her breath, “Not helping.”
“Or so I’m told,” Sam said as a weak cover up. Tori rolled her eyes.
“It’s all right,” Jasmine assured them. She wondered why just hearing that Reid hadn’t had sex with anyone would make her so fluttery inside. It’s not like she should care.
“I’m really glad to hear you’re making Reid wait for you,” Ulyssa said. “These Var men are hardheaded. I swear you have to be tough just to put up with them.”
“But, don’t get her wrong,” Tori assured Jasmine. “They’re really quite sweet, even if their intentions do get messed up in the act.”
“What do you mean?” Jasmine asked.
“Show her the Yorkin,” Sam said, giggling.
“What is a Yorkin?” Jasmine watched the private look they shared.
Tori stood, motioning for Jasmine to follow her. She went to the dining room. In a corner, which couldn’t be seen from the front room, stood a horrific stuffed beast. It was twice as tall as Reid and had the coarse spine of an Earth porcupine along its thick back, looking as sharp as razor blades. His face was just as vicious with long deadly fangs and eyes that looked eerie even in its taxidermy state.
“That,” Tori said, shivering, “is a Yorkin. The thing of nightmares, isn’t it?”
“What does that have to do with your husband meaning well?” Jasmine asked.
“There was this big misunderstanding about Earth dating customs. He read up on them, but kind of messed them up. So, instead of a fierce teddy bear, he gave me a Yorkin. The brothers assumed a teddy bear was a hunted offering used to prove Earth men’s prowess and ability to protect their women.” Tori giggled. “You should’ve seen their faces when they brought it to me. It was a gift for the baby. They were so proud of themselves--Reid, Falke, Kirill and my Quinn. According to them, they took it down, just the four of them.”
Jasmine smiled. “It’s actually very sweet when you put it like that.”
“See what I mean? Sweet men, a messed up way of showing they care,” Tori said, tearing slightly. She fanned her face. “Ah, look at me. All emotional.”
“We still haven’t convinced them that a teddy bear isn’t a dangerous, poisonous, spry little shifter,” Ulyssa said from her place on the couch. She laughed. “When they found out I was pregnant, they actually gave me weapons--sharpened swords and knives.”
“Anyway, our point is that they’re really stubborn and really hard to put up with at first, but if you stay strong, I’m sure you and Reid will work things out,” Sam said.
“Oh, no, I think you have the wrong idea. Reid and I have nothing to work out. There’s nothing between us.” Jasmine tried to smile, but it was hard. The women’s faces fell. They actually looked sad by her admission.
“You don’t want him, then?” Ulyssa asked. “Is that what’s going on? I mean, we’d never ask you to be with someone you didn’t want or care about.”
“No, it’s not that, it … well … I can’t,” Jasmine answered. She couldn’t want anyone. “I’m … I’m still married.”
“Jarek told us,” Ulyssa said. “To an abusive doctor. He also said you divorced him.”
“No, I left him.” Jasmine saw the kindness in their eyes and almost started crying. It had been so long since she had other women to talk to. Chad didn’t like her having friends. “He wouldn’t
ever give me a divorce.”
“Oh, sweetie, come sit down,” Tori soothed. “Tell us everything. Maybe we can help. We are royalty after all and royalty does have its privileges.”
“Why would you want me for Reid if you know I’m married?” Jasmine asked, helplessly following Tori’s urgings back to the couch.
“Nothing is ever as it seems. We’ve learned to trust in fate,” Tori said. “Besides, human law doesn’t actually apply here. Technically, it could be argued that you’re not married here unless you claim to be and want to be.”
“So spill it,” Sam demanded.
“Yes, tell us everything,” Ulyssa added.
Jasmine found herself surrounded by three emotional, comforting women who started crying along with her as she told them her story. Ulyssa brought over a hunk of chocolate as they talked. Jasmine had no idea what made her tell them what had happened, but just seeing their faces--with nothing to lose or gain but her friendship--she just kept talking. She told them of the beatings, of the abuse, how she discovered on her wedding night that she was frigid, of her medical condition.
Finally when she was done, Tori said, “But, you’re not allergic to medical booths. Reid and Evan had to use one on you after you drank too much on the ship. They were terrified that they’d hurt you, but you actually got better.”
“They did?” Jasmine gasped. The women nodded.
“That’s what we heard,” Tori nodded. “Maybe your heart isn’t bad, maybe Chad lied to you about that as well.”
“No,” Jasmine said, shaking her head in denial. “When I was younger, I was sickly. I couldn’t go to school and my father hired tutors for me. Aside from a few older servants, Chad really was the first man I’d ever seen. He’s a good doctor, even if he sucks as a husband. He was able to diagnose me. It’s actually how we met. My father hired him to come check me out. I thought I loved him, you know, he was the smart, traveled doctor who saved my life. It was all so glamorous and romantic.”
The women continued to talk for hours, sharing stories, getting to know each other. Jasmine listened to how they’d met their husbands, of the hard time they gave them before they agreed to marry them. Ulyssa had been investigating the new king when she came to the planet. Jasmine already had been told of Sam’s kidnapping Falke, but it was funny to hear the story straight from the source. Tori had done her best to keep Quinn at bay, but he’d been persistent.
The Rogue Prince Page 11